Doesn't everybody do that?

Jeffrey showed up this morning, shirt too big, hair too long...ready for writing camp. In the wrong place. He was scared. nervous. "The only boy!" (He wasn't.) I worried about him. Will he get home okay? Will he have fun? Will he make friends?
Today I talked to Jessica outside at lunch, skittering from one subject to the next, reminding me of days in college when I met other people my age I could get to know. I miss that.
This weekend, I spent celebrating Father's day with my family. Showing them Reedy River Bridge. Searching for a present that will begin to show my dad how much I love him. My roommate spent the day shopping, distracting herself from missing her dad. And Mike spent it worrying because his dad is at Emory today getting his heart checked for blockages. Annete's brother in law is in surgery and so she is having trouble focusing today. Who wouldn't.

It makes you wonder: how do you write with all this stuff going on? Why do we write with all this stuff happening all around us as we click click click away.
So I've spent some of today thinking about relationships. What we mean to one another. What we can do for one another so we all don't feel so alone. The loneliness possible on the overcrowded planet is ironic and daunting.
My sister tells me that when I get overwhelmed, I need to think proactively. (She is a psychologist.) So I'm thinking about writing. About how when we share, we feel understood. About how it is hard, though, to stop typing your own story to listen to someone else's. I'm thinking about how important it is to honor the stories other people have. To ask questions. I believe in the power of sharing to help us learn, but also to build community. I'm glad that real life reenforces the importance of what we do every day from 9-5. We teach kids to reach out, to share, and to listen. Hopefully, it makes us all feel a little less alone.